Texas City Looking to Allow Concealed Carry For All Public Employees

Hoping to add its name to the multitude of Texas cities that already allow concealed carry for its state employees while at work, White Oak’s city council is putting that very motion on the docket for their August 9th meeting.

White Oak’s city coordinator, and former police chief Charlie Smith stated that “If (council members) elected to approved concealed carry by employees, we must change ordinances, make changes to the employee policy manual, other revisions and adopt some type of policy on handguns.”

Earlier in July, Smith took the idea to White Oak’s city council after being asked by a city employee, with a concealed handgun license if he could bring his firearm to work, and due to current city ordinance, the man could not.

After taking the idea to the city council, the council asked for the advice of an attorney, and in the meantime, Smith took it upon himself to see how other surrounding towns that already have implemented the ruling handle their state employees potentially carrying.

Smith found that in nearby Longview, Texas, the city had voted to allow those dubbed licensed peace officers among public employees to carry weapons while on the job. It seemed that Smith agreed with Longview’s current policy, as opposed to having any and all public employees able to carry while on the job, stating “If you’re not a peace officer on duty that day, then you couldn’t carry,” adding that “My concerns would be, if we do that for employees, there are some employees that, if they were concealed carrying — and I’m talking about public works right now — a lot of times, they’re dealing with trenching and water and sewer. My concern would be, what would they do with the weapon? How would they conceal that weapon where it would be safe?”

At the end of the day, it will be up to the city council of White Oak to see what, if any policies will be instituted regarding this, but more should be known after the city council meeting on August 9th.